Children's home run by Timeout Children’s Homes Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 1 Registered provider: TimeOut Children’s Homes Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private provider runs this home. It offers care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been the registered manager since the home opened in December 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 12 September 2023

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2023 Full Good 28/06/2022 Full Outstanding 26/10/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During the inspection, the inspectors spoke with the child living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are strong links between the staff team, professionals, and the child’s family. They all speak positively about the care that is provided to the child and the progress that they make. A professional said that children’s moves into and on from the home are well managed and supported with clear plans. When one child moved on from the home, their family member said, ‘I have only nice things to say; the staff were fabulous.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is making good educational progress. The staff support the child to go to school. Any worries or barriers to their learning are listened to and plans are created to help the child to achieve. The child receives praise and recognition for their achievements, which encourages their learning and feelings of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The health of the child is a priority, and staff ensure that the child has access to advice and treatment when needed. The therapy team is an active participant in the planning of the care of the child. The staff use external professionals to encourage the child to talk about and understand their health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child participates in culture nights. This supports them to develop their awareness of culture and diversity. The child was given a ‘culture teddy bear’ that staff would dress in different cultural clothing to aid staff discussions with the child about diversity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys a range of activities linked to their interests. The activities include fishing, boxing, and gymnastics. During the summer, children went on foreign holidays. These experiences help the children to develop self-confidence and boost self-esteem. The staff create a bright and colourful journey book for children to capture these memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s views and wishes are listened to. Staff spend time with children to actively seek their views, but the records of supportive conversations do not reflect the child’s views or understanding. If the child does not understand the problem being discussed, they cannot contribute ideas and solutions effectively.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding arrangements help to keep the child safe. Staff understand their role and responsibility to safeguard children and are guided by child-centred risk assessments. They have a working knowledge of the relevant legislation, policies and processes and can implement these to protect the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 4 If a child is missing from home, the staff follow the child’s missing-from-home plan. Staff will undertake local and out-of-area searches to try and find the child and get them home safe. Missing-from-home incidents are rare, but staff and other professionals do spend time talking with the child when they have returned home from being missing. Understanding why a child has been missing is essential for ensuring their safety and guiding responses to prevent other incidents.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been no serious incidents or use of physical intervention techniques. Staff use therapeutic approaches to develop a deeper understanding and response to the child’s needs, motivations, and feelings. The staff are consistent and implement boundaries, supporting the child’s learning around positive behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children have individual plans and risk assessments in place that guide staff to care for children appropriately. Staff had clear knowledge of the child’s risks and how to keep the child safe. However, emerging risks around grooming and exploitation were not reflected in the risk assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the child well, and she is ambitious in her outlook for their future. The manager is visible and approachable and has clear oversight of the running and management of the home. The manager has clear expectations of the staff team to ensure that high standards are maintained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff receive mandatory, child-focused training linked to emerging needs or risks. The staff are happy with the support that they receive from the manager and each other. Feedback from staff is very positive. They recognise that the practice support and development they receive helps them to fulfil their roles and meets the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment processes and procedures help the manager to appoint staff who can deliver a high standard of care to children. Recruitment processes are in place to keep children safe. The company has started undertaking social media checks of all employees to provide intelligence that could reduce the risk to the children in its care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that focuses on the needs of the children. Written records of supervision, appraisal and team meetings are thorough and capture the discussions. Team meetings involve reflective discissions and use the views of others to develop future plans. The manager includes the staff team in the decision-making for wider issues including budgets, modifications to the home and rotas.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team works effectively with other professionals to ensure that children are safeguarded. The manager actively challenges a lack of response from other services and holds professionals accountable for their duties and responsibilities and obligations to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 5 The statement of purpose is reviewed regularly, and the objectives of the home are clear. The welcome pack for the children is not regularly reviewed and does not include current and relevant information. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet The Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the child’s risk assessments should detail all known risks. 7 January 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the child is listened to and take their views, wishes and feelings into account when planning and undertaking their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 21, paragraph 4.5)  The registered person should review and update the children’s guide as necessary, and make sure children are given an explanation of any changes. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 24, paragraph 4.23) Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under The Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: TimeOut Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 2, Ripponden Mill, Mill Fold, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire HX6 4DH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Dominic Macauley

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Inspectors

Jo Cansfield, Social Care Inspector Rachel Moore, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2612070 9 and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding, and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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